Strong Road Safety Laws Compel Toyota to Recall One Million Cars

Public Safety Rules Protect Drivers from Defective Airbags and Windshield Wipers

U.S. PIRG

Washington, D.C. – Statement of Nasima Hossain, U.S. PIRG public health advocate, on Toyota’s Thursday recall of one million cars in the U.S.:

“This recall highlights our continued need for strong public health and consumer safety standards and protections. Our car safety protections achieve the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety, and they work for us every day to prevent crashes and their high human and financial cost.

“Laws such as the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, the Highway Safety Act of 1966, and the 1972 Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act ensure that consumers are able to trust that their cars drive safely on American roads. These laws should continue to hold car manufacturers accountable for our safety.

“However, strong public safety protections like these highway rules are in jeopardy thanks to reckless anti-regulatory policies being introduced in Congress. Policymakers should resist efforts by powerful special interests to weaken our public health and safety rules. The need for consumer safety should not be a political question or a partisan issue; instead, Congress should put protecting Americans first.”